{"id":195693,"date":"2026-05-17T07:40:18","date_gmt":"2026-05-17T11:40:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=195693"},"modified":"2026-05-16T16:07:07","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T20:07:07","slug":"the-knicks-should-want-to-face","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/05\/17\/the-knicks-should-want-to-face\/","title":{"rendered":"The Team The Knicks Should Want To Face Between The Cavaliers And Pistons Is Becoming Obvious"},"content":{"rendered":"

NEW YORK \u2014 The New York Knicks<\/strong> on April 23 were down 2-1 in their first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks<\/a>, staring down an embarrassing exit in Mike Brown\u2019s first season. To the public, Brown preached patience. \u201cI told (our players) it\u2019s a seven-game series for a reason,\u201d said<\/a> Brown. Among the team, Brown changed the offense drastically. They put the ball in Karl-Anthony Towns\u2019<\/a> hands, allowing him to make plays for teammates moving off the ball. Since then, the team has gone on a seven-game winning streak. So while the Pistons<\/a> and Cavaliers<\/a> series is heading for a Game 7 on Monday, the Knicks are going to enter the 2026 ECF with over a week of rest. The bigger question now is simple: the Knicks should want to face who? Between the Cavaliers or Pistons, the answer honestly feels clearer after each passing game.<\/p>\n

The Team The Knicks Should Want To Face Between The Cavaliers And Pistons Is Becoming Obvious<\/h2>\n
\"The
May 11, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) drives to the basket against Detroit Pistons forward Paul Reed (7) and forward Ronald Holland II (5) during the second half of game four in the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If Brown were asked that question in a pre-game interview, you\u2019d probably get some version of coach-speak about focusing on themselves and respecting every opponent. Coaches treat hypothetical matchups like they\u2019re state secrets. But behind closed doors? There\u2019s almost no chance the Knicks aren\u2019t hoping Cleveland survives this series. Not because the Cavaliers are a bad team. Far from it. But styles make fights and the Cavaliers currently look like a team trying to solve a Rubik\u2019s Cube underwater. Meanwhile Detroit look like a group that enjoys fistfights recreationally. There\u2019s a difference.<\/p>\n

Star Power Usually Wins Series… Unless Your Star Starts Dribbling Into Three Defenders<\/h3>\n

Before the season started back in October, if you asked a random NBA fan who the better player was between Donovan Mitchell<\/a> and Cade Cunningham<\/a>, you\u2019d be hard pressed to find anyone outside of Detroit picking Cunningham. Fast forward to now and the conversation has flipped entirely. Cunningham has outplayed Mitchell throughout this series despite not having the luxury of another offensive star beside him (side eyes Jalen Duren<\/a>). Cunningham is averaging a league-leading 29.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.6 stocks per game while controlling the pace of nearly every contest. Mitchell on the other hand is averaging 25.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists, numbers that somehow look both impressive and concerning at the same time. Basketball is funny like that.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Right off the bat, Mitchell\u2019s scoring has dipped below his regular-season average of 27.9 points per game. That\u2019s not exactly normal for a player whose playoff reputation was built on turning into a human blowtorch every April and May. More troubling, though, has been the decision-making. Mitchell averaged 5.7 assists in the regular season, yet this postseason he\u2019s looked far less composed trying to create in traffic. Too many possessions spiral into him barreling into a crowd before forcing up a shot that leaves Cavaliers fans sucking air through clenched teeth like someone just scratched a rental car. That imbalance is exactly why the Knicks should welcome a matchup with Cleveland.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Cunningham is playing with terrifying composure for someone this early in his playoff career. That\u2019s the part that should concern New York. Despite averaging 5.8 turnovers per game, he\u2019s still dictating the rhythm of these contests, controlling the tempo like a veteran conductor with coffee in his veins. The Pistons are growing up in real time.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Cleveland\u2019s Frontcourt<\/h3>\n
\"Cleveland
May 11, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) guards Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) during the second half of game four in the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As stated earlier, the Knicks have found enormous success running the offense through Towns. The ball movement has improved, the spacing feels cleaner and Mitchell Robinson<\/a> continues to be an absolute menace on the glass. Robinson grabs offensive rebounds like rent is due the next morning. So far, New York has enjoyed a massive edge from its center rotation against smaller or compromised frontcourts.<\/p>\n

If given the choice between the Cavaliers or Pistons, the Knicks should probably lean Cleveland here too despite Evan Mobley\u2019s<\/a> presence. The Cavaliers\u2019 twin towers have been wildly inconsistent throughout the postseason. One night Jarrett Allen<\/a> looks like prime Moses Malone<\/a> with a 22-point, 19-rebound performance. The next night he finishes with two points. Two. That\u2019s not a typo by the way. Mobley has also struggled to consistently impose himself offensively despite the supermax expectations surrounding him. At times his stat lines feel suspiciously copy-and-pasted: 17 points, eight rebounds, excellent defense, everybody claps politely and moves on.<\/p>\n

Detroit\u2019s frontcourt carries a different kind of danger. Duren has been disappointing overall this postseason<\/a> and probably cost himself tens of millions of dollars heading into the summer. Yet there are still flashes where you remember why he could finish on an all-NBA team this season. Game 6 was one of those reminders. Duren bullied his way to a 15-point, 11-rebound double-double to help stave off elimination. If he suddenly figures things out for four games in the 2026 ECF, that changes the equation dramatically.<\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s Isaiah Stewart<\/a>, Detroit\u2019s resident enforcer, who seems fueled by unresolved anger. Stewart matches up physically with Robinson while Paul Reed<\/a> has quietly become Detroit\u2019s spark plug off the bench. The Pistons just have more ruggedness across the rotation and that\u2019s not the kind of series New York would prefer after already surviving two rounds.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Defense, Physicality And Why The Cavaliers Are Simply Easier To Attack<\/h3>\n
\"Apr
Apr 12, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Ausar Thompson (9) in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This part honestly shouldn\u2019t need much explanation if you\u2019ve watched even a few minutes of Cavaliers or Pistons basketball this season. Cleveland owns the fifth-worst defense in the playoffs and is the only team left outside the top six defensively. Detroit meanwhile owns the second-best defense and they play like it too. Bringing the ball up against them feels like hell. They swarm ball handlers from 90 feet, force ugly turnovers and turn defensive stops into momentum swings almost instantly.<\/p>\n

That style wears teams down over a seven-game series<\/a>. Legs go first, then patience, then suddenly somebody is getting a technical because Ausar Thompson<\/a> picked them up full court for the ninth consecutive possession. The Knicks should want to face Cleveland because the Cavaliers simply don\u2019t apply that same level of physical stress. Jalen Brunson<\/a> would much rather see Dean Wade<\/a> and Jaylon Tyson<\/a> defending him than Thompson and Daniss Jenkins<\/a> hounding him like airport security dogs. The answer there feels painfully obvious.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also the bigger picture to consider. The Knicks are potentially four wins away from an NBA Finals matchup against either the Oklahoma City Thunder<\/a> or San Antonio Spurs.<\/a> That road is brutal enough already. Facing the Cavaliers or Pistons could determine how much gas remains in the tank by June. Detroit\u2019s style drags teams into mud wrestling matches. Cleveland\u2019s style still leaves room for offensive rhythm and clean possessions.<\/p>\n

So while nobody inside the Knicks organization will publicly admit it, the reality is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. If the goal is surviving the 2026 ECF and arriving at the Finals intact, the Knicks should want to face Cleveland. Between the Cavaliers and Pistons, one matchup feels survivable. The other feels like surviving a bar fight where the chairs are somehow also setting screens.<\/p>\n

Credit:\u00a9 Kyle Ross-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NEW YORK \u2014 The New York Knicks on April 23 were down 2-1 in their first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks, staring down an embarrassing exit in Mike Brown\u2019s first season. To the public, Brown preached patience. \u201cI told (our players) it\u2019s a seven-game series for a reason,\u201d said Brown. Among the team, Brown changed […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5018,"featured_media":195309,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1608,62,12,3],"tags":[50432,4704,3965,900,1591,3966,1417,4432,1043,213,1616],"class_list":["post-195693","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball","category-nba","category-knicks","category-news","tag-2026-nba-playoffs","tag-ausar-thompson","tag-cade-cunningham","tag-donovan-mitchell","tag-eastern-conference-finals","tag-evan-mobley","tag-jalen-brunson","tag-jalen-duren","tag-jarrett-allen","tag-karl-anthony-towns","tag-mitchell-robinson"],"modified_by":"Frederick Okocha","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/195693","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5018"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=195693"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/195693\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":195737,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/195693\/revisions\/195737"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/195309"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=195693"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=195693"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=195693"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}